BabyJoy
Kidney Beans for babies
When and how to serve kidney Beans at every stage of starting solids.
- Introduce from
- 6–9 months
- Safety notes
- Common choking hazard
- Iron rich
- Protein rich
How to prepare kidney Beans by age
6–9 months
Use canned beans with no added salt (rinse well), or soak dried beans overnight, boil hard for at least 10 minutes and simmer until very soft — undercooked kidney beans are toxic. Mash, or flatten each bean between your fingers; never serve whole at this age.
9–12 months
Flatten or halve soft cooked beans for pincer practice, or mash into soft patties or a spread for toast fingers.
12 months+
Serve soft cooked beans whole once your child chews well, in stews, chilli, rice and bean dishes or mashed in wraps.
Choking hazard
Kidney Beans can be a choking hazard for babies and young children. Prepare it exactly as described for your baby’s age, seat your baby upright and always supervise meals.
Gagging (loud coughing, watery eyes, a red face) is a normal part of learning to eat. Choking is silent: your baby cannot cough, cry or breathe and needs immediate help. Learn infant CPR and choking rescue.
Nutrition highlights
- Iron rich
- Protein rich
- High fiber
- Folate rich
Serving ideas
- Mashed bean spread on toast fingers
- Mild bean and vegetable stew
- Bean and sweet potato patties
Prepare these as described above for your baby’s age.
Choosing and storing
Storage: Canned: once opened, refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 days. Cooked: refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze.
Sources
This guide is based on published guidance from:
